Energy Saving Tips
Utilities account for a significant portion of the average homeowner’s living expense, and it’s always a good thing to reduce your carbon footprint. By practicing the appliance energy saving tips below, you can shave a few bucks off of your monthly utility build and help to save the environment at the same time.
Refrigerator Energy Saving Tips
- Avoid using multiple refrigerators if one is enough. Refrigerators typically cost $70 – $120 per year to run continuously.
- Keep a well-stocked freezer. Having a well-stocked freezer will allow food to catch and store cold air, reducing the workload of your refrigerator. This will also help to extend the life of your refrigerator.
- Be mindful of the number of times you open your refrigerator doors. Each time your refrigerator doors are opened, the cold air is released, forcing your refrigerator to work harder.
- Remove dust buildup from your condenser and refrigerator coils.
- For optimal energy efficiency, keep your refrigerator between 36-40F and your freezer between 0-4F.
- Position your refrigerator away from direct sunlight and other heat sources if possible.
- Ensure that your refrigerator doors are sealing tightly. If they aren’t, your door seals may need replacement.
- Avoid positioning your refrigerator in an unheated part of your house, like garages. If the temperature drops below 60F, your refrigerator will run less efficiently or your compressor may stop running.
- Allow hot food to cool off before placing it in your refrigerator in order to decrease the strain on your compressor.
- Avoid placing food on the back wall of your refrigerator as this can interfere with the refrigerator’s cooling cycle.
- If you have frost buildup, defrosting your refrigerator will help it operate more efficiently.
Dryer Energy Saving Tips
- Clean your lint filter before each use.
- Avoid overloading your dryer – and on the flip-side, avoid washing overly small loads.
- If your dryer has a moisture-sensing feature, use it to prevent the dryer from running for longer than is necessary.
- Dry towels and other heavy items in loads separate from your clothes.
- Periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure that it is not obstructed.
- Ensure that your dryer hose is as short as possible and that it does not have any kinks to ensure the most efficient drying
- Positioning your dryer in a well heated area will allow it to operate more efficiently.
- If you have multiple loads, drying them consecutively will allow the dryer to use some heat from the previous cycle to decrease overall dry time.
Washing Machine Energy Saving Tips
- Use only cold water to wash your clothes whenever possible.
- Ensure that the water level is set to correctly accommodate the amount of clothes you place in your washing machine.
- Placing your washing machine closer to your water heater will reduce the heat lost during the transfer of water through your pipes.
Oven / Stove / Range Energy Saving Tips
- When possible, opt for a toaster oven or microwave instead as they use less energy and add less heat to your kitchen.
- If you’ll be cooking multiple items in the oven, consider cooking them at the same time.
- Avoid opening your oven door as this will release heat and cause your oven to work harder. Most ovens come equipped with an interior light.
- Ensure that your oven is sealing tightly and that no heat is being released during operation.
- Test your oven’s temperature. If the actual temperature doesn’t match your temperature setting, the oven needs to be recalibrated.
- Choose the correct cookware. Certain material, like cast iron, retains heat better than others. Likewise, use a lid to capture heat when possible.
- Size matters. When using an 8-inch burner, it is best to use an 8-inch pan.
- Start cooking on high heat and switch to a lower setting to finish cooking.
- Keeping your stove clean will ensure that no debris captures heat.
Dishwasher Energy Saving Tips
- Cleaning excess debris from your dishes prior to placing them in the dishwasher is a good idea, but they don’t need to be spotless. That’s what your dishwasher is for!
- Your dishwasher uses the same amount of energy regardless of the number of dishes in the dishwasher – so try to run a full load every time.
- Opt for the air dry option rather than heated dry, or simply open your dishwasher door after the cycle has completed to let dishes dry naturally.
- Many dishwashers feature an energy-saving cycle – use it if it’s available!
- If your dishwasher has a filter screen, clean it regularly to ensure that your dishwasher runs efficiently.
- During warmer months, it is best to use your dishwasher during cooler periods of the day.
When Purchasing a New Appliance:
- Be sure to compare energy costs using EnergyGuide ratings.
- As technology continues to improve, newer models tend to use less energy than older models.
- Smaller appliances typically use less energy (this is especially true for refrigerators and freezers).
- Front-loading washing machines tend to use less energy than their top-loading counterparts.
- Top / bottom refrigerators tend to use less energy than side-by-side refrigerators.